COLUMBUS, Ohio — The dates for the Democratic National Convention could compromise President Joe Biden’s election eligibility in Ohio.

What You Need To Know

  • The deadline for major political parties to certify their candidates for inclusion on Ohio ballots is 90 days before the election

  • The 2024 Democratic National Convention is scheduled to begin nearly two weeks after the state's certification deadline of Aug. 7

  • In a letter, Ohio Secretary of State's office told Democratic party leaders Ohio legislators would need to pass an exception, or the party would have to move up its election for Biden to qualify for Ohio ballots

According to the 2024 Ohio Elections Calendar on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, major political parties are required to certify the names of their candidates for president and vice president by Aug. 7, 90 days before the election.

But the Democratic National Convention, when delegates officially vote for their party’s candidate, isn’t scheduled to begin until almost two weeks later on Aug. 19.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office sent a letter to Democratic Party leaders warning of the deadlines and that Ohio’s Republican-dominated legislature would have to enact an exception, or the Democratic National Committee would have to move its election.

“We’re reviewing the letter and working with a number of partners, including the Biden campaign and DNC, on potential solutions,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Matt Keyes in a statement.

David Cohen, a political science professor at the University of Akron, said there is no precedent for a major party presidential nominee to not be on a state ballot in the modern era.

“You can see how dangerous of a game this is,” he said. “If we allow states to really act ‘willy nilly,’ to be able to try and prevent nominees from getting on the ballot and, you know, giving citizens the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice, it’s a very dangerous game.”

Earlier this year, other states like Colorado tried to prevent former president Donald Trump from appearing on their ballots over accusations he violated the 14th amendment, but the United States Supreme Court rejected those attempts. It is something Ohio Republican Party Executive Director Cameron Sagester commented on in a statement: “Maybe instead of unlawfully trying to remove Donald Trump from the ballot across the country, Democrats should have figured out how to lawfully access ours in Ohio.”